Jess McHugh (Host/Narrator)

So problem solved, right? Sarah and Nicole now had a picture perfect venue for free. But for Sarah, there was actually potential for disaster still lurking. In an act of true boldness, Sarah had created a guest list that included both people who believed her to be a war hero and people who knew damn well that she wasn't one. You had her buddies from the gym and VFW.

So problem solved, right? Sarah and Nicole now had a picture perfect venue for free. But for Sarah, there was actually potential for disaster still lurking. In an act of true boldness, Sarah had created a guest list that included both people who believed her to be a war hero and people who knew damn well that she wasn't one. You had her buddies from the gym and VFW.

And then you had people like her own parents who knew she'd never served a day in her life. And if people started mingling and chatting, as wedding guests tend to do, Sarah's lie would quickly be outed. Sarah's saving grace, her insurance policy, if you will, hinged on yet another lie, which she'd set in motion months before.

And then you had people like her own parents who knew she'd never served a day in her life. And if people started mingling and chatting, as wedding guests tend to do, Sarah's lie would quickly be outed. Sarah's saving grace, her insurance policy, if you will, hinged on yet another lie, which she'd set in motion months before.

The day of their wedding, Mark and Kate played the role of wedding coordinators, basically. Mark actually cut down a birch tree so he could build a pergola for Sarah and Nicole to get married under. They set up the benches in the backyard and draped tulle over the pergola as an altar. The wedding colors were blue and gold, the Marine Corps colors.

The day of their wedding, Mark and Kate played the role of wedding coordinators, basically. Mark actually cut down a birch tree so he could build a pergola for Sarah and Nicole to get married under. They set up the benches in the backyard and draped tulle over the pergola as an altar. The wedding colors were blue and gold, the Marine Corps colors.

The veterans might appreciate this understated touch, but it wouldn't tip off anyone else. And there were sunflowers, Sarah's favorite, in maple syrup buckets along the aisles. And sure, people talked and chatted and joked and laughed like they do at weddings when things start to get rowdy. But somehow, Sarah's world stayed separate or just separate enough that her lies held.

The veterans might appreciate this understated touch, but it wouldn't tip off anyone else. And there were sunflowers, Sarah's favorite, in maple syrup buckets along the aisles. And sure, people talked and chatted and joked and laughed like they do at weddings when things start to get rowdy. But somehow, Sarah's world stayed separate or just separate enough that her lies held.

And if this seems hard to believe, it is. This moment, this wedding, was something that Jake and I were both obsessed with. How was it that no one's drunk uncle asked Sarah about her time in Iraq? That no cousins started chatting too much to the VFW guys and figured out Sarah's charade? But none of this happened. It was a pretty perfect summer wedding. Sarah emerged from it unscathed.

And if this seems hard to believe, it is. This moment, this wedding, was something that Jake and I were both obsessed with. How was it that no one's drunk uncle asked Sarah about her time in Iraq? That no cousins started chatting too much to the VFW guys and figured out Sarah's charade? But none of this happened. It was a pretty perfect summer wedding. Sarah emerged from it unscathed.

She lived those two lives for another three and a half years, until January of 2022. That's when charities started getting suspicious of Sarah's claims and reached out to the authorities to investigate. Rumors started circulating that Sarah was an imposter. Word quickly got back to Dave that the commander of his VFW post might be a fraud. And right away, Dave picks up the phone.

She lived those two lives for another three and a half years, until January of 2022. That's when charities started getting suspicious of Sarah's claims and reached out to the authorities to investigate. Rumors started circulating that Sarah was an imposter. Word quickly got back to Dave that the commander of his VFW post might be a fraud. And right away, Dave picks up the phone.

But the rumors kept going. Online, there was chatter, people speculating, questioning Sarah's credentials. It started to snowball.

But the rumors kept going. Online, there was chatter, people speculating, questioning Sarah's credentials. It started to snowball.

Our show is edited by Karen Shikurji. Our executive producer is Jacob Smith. Mastering by Jake Gorski.

Our show is edited by Karen Shikurji. Our executive producer is Jacob Smith. Mastering by Jake Gorski.

Special thanks to Sarah Nix, Izzy Carter, Daphne Chen, Jake Flanagan, and Greta Cohn. Additional thanks to Vicki Merrick. I'm Jess McHugh.

Special thanks to Sarah Nix, Izzy Carter, Daphne Chen, Jake Flanagan, and Greta Cohn. Additional thanks to Vicki Merrick. I'm Jess McHugh.

I first heard about Sarah when I read a few articles about her online. Just snippets, really. But what I read about her was so bizarre, so unusual. I had a million questions. So I tracked her down. We started sending emails, talking on the phone, getting to know each other. And right from the start, she felt familiar to me. We have a few things in common, actually.

I first heard about Sarah when I read a few articles about her online. Just snippets, really. But what I read about her was so bizarre, so unusual. I had a million questions. So I tracked her down. We started sending emails, talking on the phone, getting to know each other. And right from the start, she felt familiar to me. We have a few things in common, actually.